Free Online Courses: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free

Whether you are looking for a master’s degree program, computer science classes, a K-12 curriculum, or GED study program, this list gives you a look at 50 websites that offer free online courses.

From databases that organize over 1,000,000 students throughout 16 universities, to a small library of documents for those interested in history, the opportunities for free online learning continue to expand as the Internet becomes a crucial component in education.

The UMass courseware offers a broad range of classes in areas like psychology, biology, early education, political science, history, mathematics, and others. Each department has a separate page listing the classes available. Along the side, you are given your syllabus, assignments, a professor bio, and recommended reading.

There are no slides, videos, or lecture notes, which makes this open courseware inferior to other universities that offer extensive resources.

This website has a variety of video lessons for free. The course subjects are broken down into particular lessons, which is great for students who are looking to learn one principle without taking an entire course. For example, the biology subject has separate videos for evolution, photosynthesis, genetics, and others.

If you prefer reading to watching, this site may not be for you as the lessons are all video based.

For those looking for courses that will test even the brightest student, MIT is sure not to disappoint. You can download all the course material, which is nearly identical to the course taught at MIT (it even gives you the year and semester it was taught). Since it is an on-demand course, you don’t have any ability to connect with others who are taking it. It is simply an independent study for you to study on your own.

This site is a bit difficult to navigate, as it is not as well designed as other open courseware websites. Similar to most databases, you search through the subjects and categories until you find the class you want to take. One advantage to Free-ed? When you find a class you like, there is the option to click on networking. It will notify you if there are Facebook groups or other online groups you can join that have individuals taking the course you are interested in.

This website offers downloadable free online courses in lots of different categories like youth and children, languages, business, engineering, and others. When you look through the coursework, you can view them according to rating. Other users can rate the class, which may help you in deciding what course to take. The main page does warn that there is a new site design coming in the fall of 2012, so there may be changes soon.

This website is well designed with ample content to explain how Carnegie Mellon’s OLI works. Unfortunately, you cannot view the course without creating an account. The tagline right above the courses says, “No instructor, no credits, no charge.” Like so many other free courseware, it is an individual study.

Tufts makes it clear from the start that their free online courses are not the same as the ones taught in the classroom. It is up to the professor’s discretion what is posted for free and common use. You don’t need a login ID to view the material, and the professors’ lectures are available as slides. Since there is not any more explanation beyond the slides, it may require you to dig deeper in your own research to understand the whole lecture.

Stanford on iTunes U gives you two options. You can either subscribe to the updated video lectures, or simply download the one you’d like to watch. In order to participate in this course, you do need to have an iTunes account and software.

These free online courses are easy to access and find with quick browsing. Each class lecture is offered as an MP3 file with an html document that outlines the assignment. This is a bare bones program, as the assignments are simply exams to test your knowledge of the material.

The Kutztown On-Demand program is focused mainly on business. You must fill out a brief survey before you can access the course, but the material is organized nicely, with small video clips for each topic. You can stop and start as you need to since it is broken down into small pieces. Aside from the slides, there aren’t any other materials to test your acquisition of knowledge.

USQ’s courseware is limited with only ten different free online courses offered, mostly in technology. The modules are laid out right online with lecture notes and testing assignments. Unfortunately, there is no way to network with any other students enrolled in the courses.

The Irvine Courseware offers a variety of classes in different subjects. Unlike other open courseware programs, Irvine does offer a link to information about getting academic credit for some of the courses offered. All the information for the course automatically downloads as a Word documents when you click on the links.

This website offers an array of free online courses from different universities. The main difference between EdX and other online courses is that the class is a specific length and duration. When you sign up, you are committing to the class time and assignments. You can register for classes offered by Harvard, MIT, Berkeley, and other prestigious schools. If you are looking for a class you can do on your own time, this isn’t the website for you. The classes here are similar to paid online learning classes.

This is one of the largest website databases for University open courseware. Like EdX, these courses are at a set time (usually lasting for 10-14 weeks). You can access classes from 16 different Universities’ including Princeton, Duke, Stanford, and CalTech. With over 1,000,000 users, Coursera has established itself as the central “go-to” website for free online University learning.

Udemy is an online institution that offers courses taught by leading experts. You can choose from classes on developing products for Facebook, SQL databases, Photoshop, Music Theory, Business, and many others. Udemy also allows everyday experts to create their own class, so you will have to be selective about the courses you want to take as anyone can create a course. There is a bio about each instructor, along with an Amazon-like review area for users to rate the course and give their opinions about the class work.

Connections Academy is a free online K-12 curriculum for homeschoolers and other children in non-traditional classroom settings. This academy relies heavily on parent involvement with a stated, 96% satisfaction percentage. Each lesson has an overview, a lesson, review, and assessment. There are tools, textbooks, and other resources to bolster the student’s educational experience.

This free online K-12 curriculum is offered by state. Currently, only 33 states offer the program. If your state participates, a list will come up of academies that your student can enroll in. K-12 is a network of schools offering education. It is not an independent curriculum developer. There are also private schools that network with K-12, but there are tuition costs.

GED for Free is a basic online course offered to students who have not been able to complete high school and need to get their GED. You simply fill out a student profile and begin studying. This site is only designed to teach the students the concepts that will be tested on the GED exam. There are no advanced courses or enrichment activities.

This is a free online k-12 learning system that specializes in flashcards as a way to test the acquisition of skills. The school is free but if you want an accredited program, which comes with tests, certificates, etc., you will need to pay a monthly fee. Without registering, you aren’t able to see much about their curriculum, so it is a bit difficult to navigate.

This website is a database, listing classes by topic. For each class, there is a sidebar that tells you what school offers it, how many students took it, and the instructor. Unfortunately, the class material only comes in a video lecture format. There are no assignments or other materials.

OpenCulture has compiled a list of University free courses. In their list, they identify what form the lecture comes in (iTunes, Web video, YouTube, etc.). In addition to course listings, they also offer lists of free audio books, free textbooks, and free language lessons. This site does not offer its own curriculum, but rather it compiles resources for easy navigating.

This site is a bare bones archiving of math courses offered by New York University. When you click on a class you like, it takes you to a list of files that are available as PDF documents. Perhaps the material is interesting, but the packaging is not done very well.

Open Yale courses offers a great website that is easy to navigate and comprehensive. There are a variety of subjects offered, which can either be downloaded as a zip file, or viewed online. Each lecture has a video (which was recorded during the actual course on campus), plus a transcript and a PDF of slides used during the presentation.

Along the side, the video is broken into lecture chapters, so if you can’t finish the whole thing in one sitting, you can come back to it later. There is no need to sign up or create an ID. Yale has made it easy to take their courses.

Gresham College offers lectures for students in different topics. You can watch or listen to past lectures, or attend upcoming lectures. This college is in the UK, so if you are interested in a lecture, you’ll have to wait until it is posted online to view.

Notre Dame has an extensive list of free online courses available on their site. They are listed with small buttons next to each title, signifying what the course consists of (syllabus, assignments, video, exams, etc.). When you enter the course, a left hand menu bar helps you to navigate through all the different aspects of the course. There are required readings, which may force you to buy textbooks. Overall, it is a highly organized site and easy to navigate.

The JHSPH open courses are comprehensive. Choose from the list of available topics, and view the materials in a clean and streamlined format. Each lecture comes with slides and an MP3 for download. The classes have a calendar, recommended reading this, syllabus, and a final exam. They also have a place for you to email and give your comments.

This website is a small initiative offered by the University of Washington. It has a list of ten free online courses, none of which can be accessed without filling out a lengthy profile and sign up. There are other universities who take more pride in their open courseware experience than UW.

Udacity is a digital university that specializes in computer science courses. The web layout is extremely easy to navigate. You are given five-minute video lectures with quizzes and assignments. There are no textbooks required, and everything is free. In addition to the class, Udacity offers an online forum where students can collaborate together, study, and work in groups.

They can arrange for you to take a proctored exam to gain credit at participating universities. They even offer to hand your resume to partnering companies. This institution is about helping the student succeed on all levels!

University of the People is a private online tuition free university. You apply just like you would for a traditional institution, and they currently offer an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in computer science and business administration. They are currently seeking accreditation from the US. Department of Education.

This university works like a traditional online distance learning degree program, where you sign up for free online courses, interact with other students, professors, and complete assignments. It is a great option for those who want a college education experience but don’t have the money to do it.

Academic Earth is a website that helps students find a degree program of their choice. They do offer free lectures, but that is not their main focus. Instead, it is geared towards matching students with the right online degree program.

The Textbook Revolution is a site run by students who want to improve the exchange of free information. There are textbook exchanges, plus lists of virtual resources and free online courses. This is a grassroots based organization- having been developed by students for students. This is a great site to use as a resource.

While this is not an online education site, the government has created a library of files pertaining to America’s history, literature, towns and cities, technology, war, and other important topics. These files are free to access and read, and can bolster a student interested in the social sciences.

Alison is free online education institution that offers lectures, videos, and class materials in various different topics like nursing and education. In order to enter the course, you must first sign up. Each course has a summary page, which outlines the materials provided, the instructor, a syllabus, and the amount of time it will take to accomplish. The site itself isn’t as easy to navigate as some of the others.

Webcast Berkeley has a very simple model. You simply watch a recording of the class that a professor taught on campus. There are no sign in ID’s, assignments, or other resources. It is simply something you watch and absorb. Some of these free online courses only offer audio lectures. If you are looking for a bit more structure, this school isn’t for you.

This website advertises free online courses, lessons, and apps. Rather than getting a degree, the classes are tailored to a specific skill like, “Learn Microsoft Word.” The layout is a bit complicated, so it will take some patience to navigate the pages to find what you want.

Google Code University offers computer science courses for those interested in coding and languages. You click on the course you’d like to take, and all the materials, videos, and lessons are along the side bar. There is no option to interact with others, so it is essentially an independent study.

The e-Learning Center offers a modest selection of free online courses in customer service, software, and computer science. In order to access the course, you must first sign up. This limits a viewer’s ability to see what is offered without first making a commitment.

Saylor University is an advanced learning site, offering degree programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Once completed, you will receive a certificate (though the school is currently not accredited). Saylor promises that your knowledge and education will be equivalent to a traditional college education. The website is easy to navigate and understand and a great choice if you are interested in the material.

Master Class Management is a website designed solely for those students interested in a business degree. You receive a certificate at the end of each class. Unfortunately, it seems this site is more excited about receiving money through advertising, as the Google Ads are strategically placed right above the “next” button. For someone who is not tech-savvy, they may click on the ads thinking that is the next step.

This site offers free online courses not readily found at other schools. You can take a class in strengthening marriage, family history, honesty, righteousness, and other religious type topics. In order to view the class, you must register first.

At the University of Michigan Open courseware, you can choose from a substantial variety of topics. The information all gets downloaded to your computer, after you’ve read the synopsis. There is no interactive component or ability to network with other students.

The NLC website is very basic, only offering a few free online courses. These classes are simply a collection of web pages with information. There is not a lot that has been done to develop this program, so look elsewhere first before using this website’s materials.

This website is part of the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Free online courses are available after you have registered, though the site does make it clear that the courses are independent, and there is no access to a professor. However, there is an online forum attached to the website that allows you to collaborate with your peers.

44. Nixty

This website does not offer its own curriculum, but is a networking site for teachers, students, and institutions. You can log in with your Facebook account and use it as a resource hub for your online learning. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else you can discover without first signing up with an account.

The Capilano University offers a modest selection of courses for independent study. When you enter the course, you are provided with an instructor bio, syllabus, assignments, and lecture notes. It is a simple website, easy to navigate, and great for the motivated and independent learner.

TU Delft offers courses at both the bachelor and master level, arranged by degree program. You will have access to lecture notes, exams, and assignments in a broad range of topics and subjects. It is easy to navigate, free, and requires no sign-in!

This unique university offers free online courses in government, economics, electronic government, and more. Each unit is free to download, or can be viewed as a PDF file online. There aren’t many classes offered, but the classes are very specific to those who may be interested in government or International diplomacy.

Weber State University offers only six classes currently in automotive electronics, technology, health, and English. Each class has the same modules as other open courseware, but the program is small and only narrowly developed.

A Spanish website for those who do not speak English. There are a wide variety of free online courses offered, and the site is well laid out and organized. There is no login required. You simply click and enter the course!

This college has been offering free online courses, but it may not be this way for long. Their courses do provide certification that is recognized in the business world. They specialize in areas of learning, such as mental health field, beauty and fashion, performing arts, craft and construction, and media.

As online education continues to expand, a student’s opportunities will grow as well. More and more, traditional universities are seeing a need to reduce the cost of education and keep students interested in their programs. Private companies are also taking the opportunity to create dynamic programs that are free and accessible to anyone!

Julie DeNeen has her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of New Haven. She spent several years working for a local Connecticut school at the district level, implementing new technologies to help students and teachers in the classroom. She also taught workshops to teachers about the importance of digital student management software, designed to keep students, parents, and teachers connected to the learning process.

Hey Tarani, without knowing for sure what you learn, I’m going to assume it has something to do with the financial markets (investment banking is a huge field)? Perhaps this Yale course might help: http://oyc.yale.edu/economics/econ-252-11

[…] found this article/list in Diigo and will have to check it out: Free Online Courses: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free. The author gives you a quick summary of the ups/downs of each site. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike […]

We have recently launched http://www.redhoop.org to be a one stop shop for all online courses and so far we include content from coursera, Khan Academy, Lynda, and Udemy and will add more. Would love to get feedback from this community on how RedHoop can contribute to online education. Cheers!

Listening to audio books is practical and it meets the busy lifestyle of contemporary people. You can tune in to your favorite books anytime anywhere, while you are walking, sh… The popularity of iPod and MP3 players has raised the marketplace of audiobooks in recent years. Some book publishers also believed that audio books could outsell paperback books or e-books one day. Indeed, this pattern is clear if you think about some great benefits of audio books over paperback books.

Iversity is fairly new and offers courses such as design, architecture, science, law and web developing courses and much more. They have courses in German too, and might branch out to different languages in the future. Here’s their course list https://iversity.org/courses?r=5fd26. 🙂 I also use Coursera which is great!

Please have a look at http://www.e-learningforkids. In 2014 we will launche a new portal with the complete Math and Science curriculum for free.

The e-Learning for Kids Foundation develops free e-lessons for young children (grades Kindergarten to 6).

Our vision is to lead the way in developing curriculum based digital childhood learning (K-6) online and offline. Learning that is available anywhere and without charge.

A good primary level education is a prerequisite to success at secondary level and paves the way to better jobs, better health, and greater gender equality. EFK seeks to harness this early period in a childs life by providing him or her with an educational experience that focuses on the core primary school subjects. Using technology, EFK develops high quality e-lessons that can serve large number of children and so have a big impact on society.

[…] this infographic on Opencolleges.edu. There is tons of useful content on Opencolleges, such as: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free; 30 Things You Can Do To Promote Creativity in Your Classroom; 10 Emerging Educational […]

If you are into web development, my suggested sites includes Tuts+, CodeSchool and Laracasts.
Most of them have premium contents but some free ones are worth checking at. And since they are video tutorials, learning is quiet fast too.

[…] Few people now think that MOOCs will turn higher education upside down, says Ferdinand von Prondzynski, vice-chancellor of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Instead, there is a growing movement to consider how online learning can be used to improve teaching, and how online courses can expand access to quality education. […]

I only knew about udemy, khan academy and udacity. I also purchased 2 courses on udemy, I think it’s a good resource to gain knowledge and it’s not that much costly for such professional courses but thank you for letting me know about 47 other sites.

Thanks so much for the 50 free online courses that you have shared on this article. It is very helpful and have shared the link of this article to 6 of my friends who are looking for extra courses to apply for very soon. Really appreciate your time and research that you have given to write up this article to share with us all.

It is very helpful and have shared the link of this article to 6 of my friends who are looking for extra courses to apply for very soon. Really appreciate your time and research that you have given to write up this article to share with us all.

Hi Julie,
These websites are very helpful for students like me. Whenever I want to learn something new, I will just visit Udemy. It’s an excellent website with a lot of valuable courses. other websites are also a very good resource for students as well. thanks for the great work putting all at one place.

What do you mean by that ? The question is so general that its extremely hard to answer it. You must narrow down and look for specific thing. Top universities offer lots of courses with different topics ; there is no way to pick best online courses among them.

Amazing article. Your blog helped me to improve myself in many ways thanks for sharing this kind of wonderful informative blogs in live. I have bookmarked more article from this website. Such a nice blog you are providing !

Thanks first to Julie for this wealth of information. I must say this is very good for people in the less developed world, simply because they get access. By spending time on the internet, people can learn a lot and develop themselves into worthwhile career persons. Really great!!

About InformED

InformED is an Open Colleges blog about all things education. We help educators stay up to date with the latest education technology, join the conversations in pedagogy and understand the psychology of a developing mind.